Guangzhou East Railway Station: Trains, Metro & Transfers (2026)

Guangzhou East Railway Station at a Glance

The station is at 1 Dongzhan Road, Tianhe District, Guangzhou. The railway station, the metro station and the bus terminal form one connected complex, so you can move between trains, the metro and local buses without leaving the transport hub. Follow the signs for each mode and check the departure screens for your platform.

Guangzhou East is the northern terminus of Metro Line 1 and an interchange with Lines 3 and 11. Line 1 opened here on 28 June 1999, Line 3 on 26 December 2005 and Line 11 on 29 September 2025. Line 18 is planned but does not serve the station yet.

Do not confuse Guangzhou East with Guangzhou Railway Station. That is a separate station at 159 Huanshi Xilu in Yuexiu District, served by Metro Lines 2 and 5. Other rail hubs such as Guangzhou Baiyun Railway Station are also separate stations, so check which station your ticket names before you set off.

• Hong Kong West Kowloon: high-speed train, about 1 h 35 min to 1 h 55 min, second class ¥215
• Shenzhen Station (Luohu): intercity C-train, 57 min to about 1 h 27 min, ¥79.5 second class
• Baiyun Airport Terminal 2: Metro Line 3 to Airport North, 12 stations, ¥7
• Tianhe Sports Center: Metro Line 1, 1 stop, ¥2
• Zhujiang New Town: Metro Line 3, 3 stops, ¥2

Trains from Guangzhou East: Hong Kong, Shenzhen and Beyond

High-speed trains to Hong Kong West Kowloon

Guangzhou East has direct high-speed trains to Hong Kong West Kowloon. These short-haul G65xx services are run by MTR and China Railway. Under the timetable valid from 11 October 2026 there are 13 direct trains a day, the first at 07:25 and the last at 20:40. The trip takes about 1 hour 35 minutes to 1 hour 55 minutes. Second class costs ¥215 (HK$250) and first class costs ¥344 (HK$400).

The old Guangzhou–Kowloon Through Train to Hung Hom no longer runs. It was suspended in January 2020 and officially discontinued on 31 July 2024, so use the high-speed trains to West Kowloon instead.

Intercity and high-speed trains to Shenzhen

Guangzhou–Shenzhen intercity C-trains run to Shenzhen Station at Luohu. On 22 October 2026, 61 trains were scheduled, the first at 06:10 and the last at 22:34. The quickest are the one-stop C80xx trains, which leave hourly from 07:00 to 22:00 and take 57 minutes; other trains take up to about 1 hour 27 minutes. The 12306 published fare is ¥79.5 in second class and ¥99.5 in first class, and discounts may lower what you actually pay.

D-trains and G-trains also run to Shenzhen North and Futian. Expect about 1 hour 5 minutes to 1 hour 36 minutes to Shenzhen North and about 1 hour 18 minutes to 1 hour 53 minutes to Futian. The 12306 published second-class fare is ¥83–87 to Shenzhen North and ¥98–102 to Futian.

Other routes

Guangzhou East is also served by the Guangzhou–Shanwei high-speed railway. Check 12306, the official China Railway ticketing site, for current routes, times and fares on that line and on other high-speed services from the station.

Transfer Option 1: Guangzhou Metro (Lines 1, 3 and 11)

The metro is the simplest way to reach central Guangzhou from the station. Three lines meet here: Line 1, Line 3 and Line 11, which opened at Guangzhou East on 29 September 2025. Guangzhou Metro fares are distance-based, so short trips into Tianhe fall in the lowest fare band.

Line 1 starts at Guangzhou East, its northern terminus, and runs towards Xilang. Tianhe Sports Center is one stop away (1.96 km), and the fare is ¥2. Stay on the train for other stops along Line 1.

Line 3 runs in two directions from Guangzhou East. Northbound trains on the airport branch head to Airport North for Baiyun Airport Terminal 2. Southbound trains run via Linhexi to Tiyu Xilu, and some continue towards Panyu Square or Haibang. Zhujiang New Town is 3 stops south (about 3.6 km) via Linhexi and Tiyu Xilu, on trains that continue towards Panyu Square or Haibang, and the fare is ¥2. Check the destination shown on the platform display before you board.

Buy a single-journey ticket at the machines, or check the Guangzhou Metro app for current payment options. Taking the metro also keeps you clear of road traffic in Tianhe at busy times, and staff at the service counters can help if a ticket machine gives you trouble.

See our guide to Guangzhou transport for more on getting around the city.

Transfer Option 2: Official Taxi Ranks and Ride-Hailing

Taxis are a direct option if you have heavy luggage or are heading somewhere the metro does not reach easily. Follow the "Taxi" signs to the official queue, and avoid drivers who approach you inside the station offering rides.

Make sure the driver uses the meter. Journey times and fares depend on traffic, so allow extra time in rush hours and on public holidays.

Ride-hailing apps such as Didi are widely used. You will need a working data connection, and the app shows where to meet your driver. Check the pickup point in the app before you walk out of the station.

Taxis and ride-hailing are also the fallback once the metro has stopped for the night. Keep your hotel address written in Chinese characters to show the driver.

Transfer Option 3: Public Bus Terminal

The station's bus terminal is part of the same complex as the railway and metro stations, so local buses are easy to reach after you arrive. Buses are useful for neighbourhoods away from a metro stop, but they are subject to road traffic.

With many routes to choose from, check the route maps and departure boards before you board. A navigation app can tell you which route to take, and having your destination written in Chinese helps if you need to ask the driver.

Transferring to Baiyun Airport and Other Train Stations

For Guangzhou Baiyun Airport, take Metro Line 3 north towards Airport North, which serves Terminal 2. Airport North is 12 stations (31.3 km) from Guangzhou East, and the single fare is ¥7 under Guangzhou Metro's distance-based fares.

Terminal 1 has been closed for upgrading since 7 May 2026, and trains pass Airport South station, the old T1 stop, without stopping. Terminal 3 has no metro station of its own: get off at Gaozeng, use Exit B, and take the Airport Line 2 Branch feeder bus, which takes about 15 minutes. Check which terminal your flight uses before you set off.

Guangzhou has several other major rail hubs, including Guangzhou South Railway Station and Guangzhou Railway Station. Guangzhou Railway Station is at 159 Huanshi Xilu in Yuexiu District and is served by Metro Lines 2 and 5, so plan a metro route that connects to one of those lines. Use a metro map or app to plan transfers to the other stations.

Station-to-station transfers take planning at busy times. Leave extra time for security checks when you enter a new station, and keep your ticket and passport easy to reach for station staff.

Practical Tips for Tickets and Checks

Book and check train times on 12306, the official China Railway ticketing site, and look again shortly before you travel, since timetables change. The Shenzhen fares quoted in this guide are 12306 published fares, and discounts may lower what you actually pay.

For trains to Hong Kong, MTR only publishes detailed timings for departures from Hong Kong West Kowloon. There, passengers can start checks up to 90 minutes before departure, checks usually take 30 to 45 minutes, real-name and ticket checks close 30 minutes before departure, and boarding gates close 5 minutes before departure. No official arrival guidance for Guangzhou East has been verified, so check 12306 and allow extra time, especially at weekends and on holidays.

Keep your passport handy for ticket and security checks, and keep the name of your destination station in Chinese on your phone. Planning more of your trip? See our Guangzhou guide for itinerary ideas.